All About Avocados

Apr. 23, 2015

From February to September, look in the Produce department for avocados grown in coastal California. During the remainder of the year, avocados are typically grown in the warm, tropical climate of Mexico, helping to ensure a steady supply of this fantastic food at a reasonable price throughout the year. Chile, Peru and the Dominican Republic also grow yearly avocado crops. Youâ€™ll find the country of origin on the produce sticker, or on a sign at the shelf.

An avocado a day may keep high cholesterol away! A recent study showed that adding one avocado per day to an identical, low cholesterol diet provided unique benefits. The addition of an avocado lowered bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol, and decreased the number of dense cholesterol particles (which can contribute to heart disease).

Have you heard of the Mediterranean diet? Itâ€™s not so much a diet, but a way of eating that focuses on fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains and breads, fish and poultry, olive oil and moderate amounts of wine. Avocados are a perfect fit for this eating pattern, as they contain monounsaturated fats, which are emphasized in this approach to healthy eating.

Avocados are a dietitianâ€™s dream! Theyâ€™re naturally cholesterol-, sodium- and gluten-free, and half a medium avocado even provides 20% of the daily recommended value of fiber!

Avocados can easily be swapped into recipes to decrease saturated fat and sodium. Try replacing butter with avocado in your next quick bread or muffin recipe, or swap avocado for mayonnaise in your next potato or pasta salad.